Contents

Background

“

Keep shooting, comrades!- Sickle, attacking

”

Originally designed as a police vehicle for use in fringe republics noted for their "heightened" risk of revolt, the Soviet Union's KDB-5 Sickle has a compact form factor, four durable steel stilt-legs, and three articulated gunnery positions that make it ideal for urban operations and crowd control. It exceeded expectations in its original role of riot support, becoming a mainstay in Soviet mechanized armor divisions while escalating Ukraine's Kazminov Design Bureau to the upper echelons of the Soviet Union's weapons manufacturers.[1]

The Sickle's three turrets are capable of swiveling 130 degrees, and are positioned to allow the unit engage multiple targets at once. However, as a result, the unit is unable to train all three guns on a single target. Additionally, the guns cannot target aircraft, fueling speculation that the KDB intentionally designed this flaw to ensure that the Soviet Military would also adopt the Bullfrog.[1]

The Sickle is also capable of jumping great distances, allowing it access to areas that wheeled or tracked vehicles cannot reach. This unique ability has proved useful in ambushing unsuspecting enemies before they have time to counter. In response to Sickle crews using this ability for recreation, the military command passed strict limitations on the use of this ability.[1]

Despite its innovative nature, the Sickle is cost effective due to the inexpensive alloy it is made from. This inexpensiveness comes at the cost of durability, as it can easily be countered by tanks and anti-armor weaponry. Sickle crews have also been noted to display increased sadistic or self-damaging behavior compared to their comrades.[1]

Following the defeat

The image of one such Anti-Personnel Walker personified as a very sad-looking and bruised ice hockey player, with tears in its eyes and with one of its legs in a cast, became iconic, paired with a Soviet postwar saying, translated to "Hey, we tried." The remaining number of serving sickles was supplemented by its older prototype, the Reaper.

Abilities

The Sickle's hydraulic systems can be overloaded to enable a "flea jump" which can be used to leap over obstacles, onto bluffs, hills and can even be used to jump straight into a horde of men, causing severe damage. This ability will recharge over time.

Game unit

The Sickle is available from a War Factory.

It is notably fast, meaning it can catch up with almost any infantry and so are useful as armored scouts, escorts or perimeter patrols. The sickle sports three machine guns but can only bring two to bear, that means it can engage up to 2 enemies at once, mostly from the rear and front.

The main characteristic is its Flea Jump ability, allowing it to leap over terrain and hopefully crush infantry at its landing zone, making it useful for quick dispatch, even to commandos if the jump is well timed and accurate.

However, it does have its drawbacks. Being an IFV on legs, it will always be beaten up by tough bruisers such as tanks and other anti-vehicle units. It also doesn't sport any AA capability, unlike its older cousin, so aircraft have no problem dispatching such fragile vehicles. Its flea jump may be a devastating tool, but not to be overestimated; its light weight means it does not have sufficient mass or energy to crush vehicles.

It is not amphibious, either, so transport by an allied Twinblade is the best option to get these infantry banes across the deadly seas.